Snap Lock A-Frame Heat Exchanger Bracket

ABSTRACT

A heat exchanger assembly comprises a pair of heat exchanger cores, each with a pair of manifold tanks on opposite sides, and a bracket that grips one tank of each heat exchanger core to maintain the gripped tanks adjacent and parallel to one another. The tanks can rotate within the bracket, allowing them to assume a shipping position wherein the cores are adjacent to each other and an operative position wherein the ends of the cores opposite the bracket are spread apart to form an A-frame configuration.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention relates to heat exchanger assemblies, particularly to anA-frame heat exchanger assembly that offers improved packing density andease of assembly.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Heat exchangers are commonly used in heating, air conditioning, orrefrigeration equipment to transfer heat between air and a workingfluid. The use of heat exchangers in an A-frame configuration to improveheating or cooling capacity in a given equipment volume is well known.In an A-frame configuration, two generally flat heat exchanger coreportions are arranged so that in an edge view the portions resemble aletter “A” (or an inverted “V”), with the portions coming together atthe apex and spread apart from each other at the base.

Actual fabrication of such an A-frame structure may be achieved in anumber of ways. One approach is to start with a planar heat exchangercore section having a length equal to the entire length of both legs ofthe A, and bend the section partially upon itself at the apex to formthe A shape. A second approach is to fabricate the A-frame structure bybrazing two planar core sections at the appropriate angle to a commonmanifold that forms the apex of the A. A third approach may be to mounttwo individual planar core sections to a bracket that affixes thesections at the desired angle at the apex using appropriate mountinghardware.

Typically, the heat exchanger is manufactured in one location andshipped to a different location (hereafter referred to as the “customerlocation”) where it is installed in the heating or cooling equipment.For this reason, it is desirable to maximize the packaging density ofthe heat exchanger assembly for efficient transport. Each of theaforementioned approaches to forming an A-frame configuration presentschallenges to achieving desirable packaging density.

Bending flat sections to form the A-frame requires specialized equipmentto bend the core section with an appropriate bend radius to avoiddamaging the core. It is generally not economically feasible to installsuch bending equipment at the customer location. This necessitatesbending the heat exchanger core at one location and shipping a preformedA-frame structure, which does not have optimal packaging density, to thecustomer location.

Forming the A-frame structure by brazing two planar core sections at theappropriate angle to a common manifold that forms the apex of the Awould be very difficult to do with a conventional braze oven. This alsonecessitates fabricating the heat exchanger assembly in a differentlocation and shipping a preformed A-frame structure whose packagingdensity is not optimal.

Assembling two planar core sections to a bracket that affixes thesections to each other at the desired angle can be done before shippingthe assembly to the customer location also results in shipping apre-formed A-frame structure whose packaging density is not optimal.Alternatively, the core sections, brackets, and required mountinghardware can be assembled at the customer location. While this mayimprove packaging density for shipping the components, it adds labor atthe customer location, as well as complicating supply chain managementand inventory control.

What is desired is an A-frame heat exchanger structure that can bepackaged efficiently for shipment to a customer location, and theneasily deployed to the desired A-frame configuration at the customerlocation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A heat exchanger assembly comprises a pair of generally rectangular heatexchanger cores. Each core has a pair of opposed, parallel,substantially cylindrical manifold tanks. In a shipping position, thecores are oriented face to face, with the manifold tanks in adjacent,aligned pairs. In an operative position, the cores are oriented in anA-frame configuration with one pair of tanks remaining adjacent at theapex of the A and the other two tanks spread apart at the base of the A.

The heat exchanger assembly additionally comprises a tank attachmentbracket at the apex of the A. This bracket has a gripping portion thatconforms to a sufficient portion of one pair of tanks to maintain themin the adjacent position during shipping. At least one of the tanks atthe apex can rotate within the gripping portion of the bracket as thepair of tanks at the base of the A is spread apart to the operativeposition.

Further features and advantages of the invention will appear moreclearly on a reading of the following detailed description of exemplaryembodiments of the invention, which is given by way of non-limitingexample only and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

This invention will be further described with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a heat exchanger assembly according to anexemplary embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2A is an end view of a heat exchanger assembly according to anexemplary embodiment of this invention depicted in a shipping position;and

FIG. 2B is an end view of a heat exchanger assembly according to anexemplary embodiment of this invention depicted in an operativeposition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of this invention, referringto FIG. 1, a heat exchanger assembly 10 is shown in an exploded view.The heat exchanger assembly comprises a pair of generally rectangularheat exchanger cores 12, 14. Each core 12, 14 has a pair ofsubstantially cylindrical manifold tanks 16, 18, 20, 22 on oppositesides. Each manifold tank is in fluid communication with a heatexchanger core. Ports 24, 26 (hidden in FIG. 1), 28, and 30 are disposedon manifolds 16, 18, 20, and 22 to provide a fluid circuit for a workingfluid to flow into and out of each heat exchanger core section.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the heat exchanger assembly 10 furthercomprises a tank attachment bracket 32. The bracket is shown withgripping portions 34, 36, 38, 40 that are adapted to conform to aportion of manifold tanks 16 and 22. In an exemplary embodiment, thebracket 32 is made of a resilient plastic material, and the grippingportions 34, 36, 38, 40 encircle more than 180 degrees of arc length ofthe cylindrical cross section of manifold tanks 16 and 22, so that thetanks 16, 22 snap into the bracket 32 and are thus retained. One or bothof the manifold tanks 16, 22 can rotate within the bracket 32 through arange that includes a shipping position and an operative position. Thebracket 32 has a cross sectional shape along its entire length thatconforms to a portion of the outside walls of manifold tanks 16 and 22and closes the space between the manifold tanks. In this manner, thebracket serves as a seal to impede the flow of air through the apex ofthe A-frame assembly when the assembly is in the operative position.

FIG. 2A shows an end view of the heat exchanger assembly wherein thecores are disposed in the shipping position. In this configuration, thecores 12, 14 are oriented face to face, essentially parallel to eachother when the tanks and bracket are viewed end on.

The rotational range of one or both of tanks 16, 22 within the bracket32 also includes an operative position, as shown in FIG. 2B. In theoperative position tanks 18 and 20, which are not retained by thebracket 32, are spread apart to form the desired A-frame configuration.

As shown in detail in FIG. 1A, the bracket 32 also includes projections,shown as tabs 42 and 44. Tank 16 defines a depression, shown as notch46, and tank 22 defines a depression, shown as notch 48. Projection 42is sized to engage depression 46, and projection 44 is sized to engagedepression 48. The projections and depressions are disposed about therotational axes of the tanks 16, 22 such that engagement of theprojections 42, 44 into the depressions 46, 48 occurs when the tanks 16,22 are rotated to the operative position as shown in FIG. 2B, and thebracket 32 is slid relative to the tanks 16, 22 to achieve engagement.In this manner, the heat exchanger assembly is maintained in theoperative position of FIG. 2B. Additionally, the projections anddepressions cooperate to provide tactile feedback when deploying theheat exchange assembly into the operative position. Thus, the properposition can be achieved and recognized without requiring any additionalfixturing for the assembly.

In the embodiment previously described, both of the tanks 16 and 22 arerotatable within bracket 32 to allow the assembly to assume a shippingposition or alternatively an operative position. In an alternativeembodiment of this invention, one of the tanks 16, 22 may benon-rotatably affixed to bracket 32, and the other of tanks 16, 22 maybe rotatable through an angular range including both the shippingposition and the operative position.

While the manifold tanks 16 and 22 have been previously described assubstantially cylindrical, this description is not intended to limitthis invention to tanks having a circular cross sectional shape. In thecontext of this disclosure, the term substantially cylindrical isconstrued to include non-circular cross sectional shapes, for exampleelliptical, polygonal, and polygonal with rounded vertices.

In the case of a non-circular cross sectional shape for tanks 16, 22,the radial asymmetry of the cross sectional shape may be used toadvantage to urge the tanks into a preferred position. For example, thegripping portion of bracket 32 may be disposed to cooperate with theouter surface of tanks 16, 22 to produce a detent torque that urges thetanks into either the shipping position or the operative position andresists rotation of the tanks out of those preferred positions.

Additionally, it is not necessary to maintain the same cross sectionalshape of the tanks 16, 22 over their entire length. It may, for example,be preferable for the tanks 16, 22 to have a polygonal cross sectionalshape in the portions where the tanks interface with the grippingportions of bracket 32, and to have a circular cross sectional shapeover the remainder of the length of the tanks to conform to thenon-gripping portion of the bracket 32, thereby facilitating sealing toimpede the flow of air through the apex of the A-frame assembly in theoperative position.

While this invention has been described in terms of the preferredembodiments thereof, it is not intended to be so limited, but ratheronly to the extent set forth in the claims that follow.

1. A heat exchanger assembly, comprising: a pair of generallyrectangular heat changer cores, each having a pair of opposed, parallel,substantially cylindrical manifold tanks, said cores having a shippingposition in which said cores are oriented face to face, with themanifold tanks in adjacent, aligned pairs, and an operative position, inwhich said cores are oriented in an A-frame configuration with one pairof tanks remaining adjacent at the apex of the A and the other two tanksspread apart at the base of the A, and, a tank attachment bracket havinga gripping portion that conforms to a sufficient portion of the pair oftanks at the apex to maintain them in the adjacent position duringshipping while allowing at least one of the tanks at the apex to rotatewithin the gripping portion as the pair of tanks at the base of the A isspread apart to the operative position.
 2. The heat exchanger assemblyof claim 1 wherein the rotatable tank and the bracket cooperate toproduce a detent force resisting rotation of said rotatable tankrelative to said bracket when the assembly is in the operative position.3. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 2 wherein one of the bracket andthe rotatable tank defines a depression and the other of the bracket andthe rotatable tank includes a projection disposed to engage thedepression, said projection and depression cooperating to produce saiddetent force.
 4. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 wherein thebracket conforms to a portion of the gripped tanks to seal against airflow between the gripped tanks at the apex.
 5. The heat exchangerassembly of claim 1 wherein the bracket comprises a plastic material. 6.A method for assembling a heat exchanger assembly comprising the stepsof: providing a pair of generally rectangular heat exchanger cores, eachhaving a pair of opposed, parallel, substantially cylindrical manifoldtanks; providing a tank attachment bracket having a gripping portionthat conforms to a sufficient portion of one pair of tanks to snap ontosaid pair of tanks and that allows rotation of at least one of said pairof tanks within the gripping portion; and snapping said bracket to saidpair of tanks.
 7. The method according to claim 6 additionallycomprising the step of rotating at least one of said tanks within saidbracket to a shipping position wherein said heat exchanger cores areoriented face to face with the manifold tanks in adjacent, alignedpairs.
 8. The method according to claim 6 additionally comprising thesteps of: providing a depression in a predetermined location on one ofthe bracket and the rotatable tank; providing a projection in apredetermined location disposed to engage the depression on the other ofthe bracket and the rotatable tank; rotating at least one of said tankswithin said bracket to an operative position wherein said heat exchangercores are oriented in an A-frame configuration with the tanks that arenot retained in the bracket spread apart at the base of the A, andsliding the bracket relative to one of the tanks to engage theprojection into the depression so that the projection and depressioncooperate to produce a force resisting rotation of the tank relative tothe bracket, thereby maintaining the assembly in the operative position.